Corby Beanfield Covid test blitz underway as volunteers take to the streets

Residents of Corby' s Beanfield have been visited by an army of volunteers for this weekend's intensive door-to-door Covid blitz offering PCR and Lateral Flow test kits.

In a ramping up of community testing procedures, a team of volunteers have taken to the streets of the Beanfield estate - a ward with low testing rates but high case rates.

The Covid task force team, comprising 38 members of the public and ten firefighters will resume their task tomorrow of visiting every one of the 3,245 households home to more than 9,000 people.

Tyler Bennett, emergency planning officer for North Northants Council, said: "I'm pleasantly surprised at how well it's been going. A good majority of the residents are more than keen to take the test. I'd like to thank all the volunteers and the people of the Beanfield estate."

Estate resident Catia Scott, who agreed to take a box of ten tests, said: "I have not taken a test before but if it has to be done then I will. It's a good thing."

Volunteer Rosie Guthrie said: "It's been absolutely fine. Everyone has been polite and many of the people who refused have been taking tests at home already."

The pilot will carry on all weekend with the testing area expanded if there is time.